Chantilly High Marching Band Will Travel to Hawaii for Pearl Harbor Parade

The marching band will travel to Hawaii this December to participate in the 70th annual observance of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Drew Ross, the director of band at Chantilly High, said they were one of a handful of local marching bands invited to participate in the parade in Waikiki. Ross said they were the only ones to accept.

“We get lots of offers throughout the year to do gigs and various performances, but this one caught my attention," Ross said. "I felt like this was an exceptional opportunity."

He said they received the invitation from a person who has been involved in the Music Educator National Conference and has been very familiar with the award-winning marching band.

The parade is being organized by The Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade committee and this is the first year a parade has been organized to commemorate the event.

Joel Biggs, co-committee chair for the Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade said the committee was very much aware of the Chantilly marching band’s reputation.

“They are an outstanding representative to the State of Virginia and the perfect embodiment of the spirit of American youth,” Biggs said.

The Chantilly High School marching band is an 11-time State Honor Band. In 2008, they were selected to perform at the Bands of America National Concert Band Festival in Indianapolis. And this year, the indoor drum line won first place at the Winter Guard International World Championship in Dayton, Ohio.

“The band director, Drew Ross, is very well respected. He runs an outstanding program and has established a wonderful tradition," Biggs said. "He enjoys the respect of music educators from all over the country."

Eight other high school bands from across the country will also be participating in the parade, along with the Royal Hawaiian Band and the Marine Corp Band. The parade will also feature traditional Hawaiian and Polynesian music and performers.

The Grand Marshall is Sen. Daniel Inouye, one of only a few Japanese-American recipients of the Medal of Honor for services rendered during WWII.

Ross, whose grandfather was a Naval Commander in the Korean War and whose father is retired from the US Army, said for the band to be invited to  be part of this and be on the ground floor of the parade is a great honor.

“For us and the students, it’s an opportunity to perform not only for those who are still there and survived it, but for those who have passed on.  It was a very somber point in American history and for us to get a chance to show our appreciation is something we may never get to do again,” Ross said.

After Ross received the invitation, he emailed the parents and students to get their input on participating. Because the overall cost of the trip is nearly $100,000, Ross said he didn’t want anyone to feel obligated to go.

Ross said 90 of the 140 band members volunteered to go.

Ross said the band did a few fundraisers over the summer and received donations from businesses and family members, but the rest was up to the individual student and their family.

The band has been working on a few pieces for the parade, including a marching version of "My Country ‘Tis of Thee" and "Amazing Grace" among other patriotic songs.

The band leaves Dec. 5 and will get the opportunity to tour the USS Arizona Memorial and the Pearl Harbor Visitor’s Center before the parade on Dec. 7; the actual anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

When the band returns on Dec. 9, they will prepare for their annual Holiday Spectacular Concert on Dec. 19 and 20.